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logs； of canvas； prematurely decayed； and in some instances
abandoned for a newer erection； or degraded to mere outhousesit
presented with singular frankness the nomadic and tentative
disposition of its founder。 It had been repaired without being
improved； its additions had seemed only to extend its primitive
ugliness over a larger space。 Its roofs were roughly shingled or
rudely boarded and battened； and the rafters of some of its 〃lean…
to's〃 were simply covered with tarred canvas。 As if to settle any
doubt of the impossibility of this heterogeneous mass ever taking
upon itself any picturesque combination； a small building of
corrugated iron； transported in sections from some remoter
locality； had been set up in its centre。 The McKinstry ranch had
long been an eyesore to the master： even that morning he had been
mutely wondering from what convolution of that hideous chrysalis
the bright butterfly Cressy had emerged。 It was with a renewal of
this curiosity that he had just seen her flutter back to it again。
A yellow dog who had observed him hesitating in doubt where he
should enter； here yawned； rose from the sunlight where he had been
blinking； approached the master with languid politeness； and then
turned towards the iron building as if showing him the way。 Mr。
Ford followed him cautiously； painfully conscious that his
hypocritical canine introducer was only availing himself of an
opportunity to gain ingress into the house； and was leading him as
a responsible accomplice to probable exposure and disgrace。 His
expectation was quickly realized： a lazily querulous； feminine
outcry； with the words； 〃Yer's that darned hound agin！〃 came from
an adjacent room； and his exposed and abashed companion swiftly
retreated past him into the road again。 Mr。 Ford found himself
alone in a plainly…furnished sitting…room confronting the open door
leading to another apartment at which the figure of a woman；
preceded hastily by a thrown dishcloth； had just appeared。 It was
Mrs。 McKinstry； her sleeves were rolled up over her red but still
shapely arms； and as she stood there wiping them on her apron； with
her elbows advanced； and her closed hands raised alternately in the
air； there was an odd pugilistic suggestion in her attitude。 It
was not lessened on her sudden discovery of the master by her
retreating backwards with her hands up and her elbows still well
forward as if warily retiring to an imaginary 〃corner。〃
Mr。 Ford at once tactfully stepped back from the doorway。 〃I beg
your pardon；〃 he said； delicately addressing the opposite wall；
〃but I found the door open and I followed the dog。〃
〃That's just one of his pizenous tricks；〃 responded Mrs。 McKinstry
dolefully from within。 〃On'y last week he let in a Chinaman； and
in the nat'ral hustlin' that follered he managed to help himself
outer the pork bar'l。 There ain't no shade o' cussedness that
or'nary hound ain't up to。〃 Yet notwithstanding this ominous
comparison she presently made her appearance with her sleeves
turned down； her black woollen dress 〃tidied；〃 and a smile of
fatigued but not unkindly welcome and protection on her face。
Dusting a chair with her apron and placing it before the master；
she continued maternally； 〃Now that you're here； set ye right down
and make yourself to home。 My men folks are all out o' door； but
some of 'em's sure to happen in soon for suthin'； that day ain't
yet created that they don't come huntin' up Mammy McKinstry every
five minutes for this thing or that。〃
The glow of a certain hard pride burned through the careworn
languor of her brown cheek。 What she had said was strangely true。
This raw…boned woman before him； although scarcely middle…aged； had
for years occupied a self…imposed maternal and protecting relation；
not only to her husband and brothers； but to the three or four men；
who as partners； or hired hands； lived at the ranch。 An inherited
and trained sympathy with what she called her 〃boys's〃 and her 〃men
folk；〃 and their needs had partly unsexed her。 She was a fair type
of a class not uncommon on the Southwestern frontier； women who
were ruder helpmeets of their rude husbands and brothers； who had
shared their privations and sufferings with surly； masculine
endurance； rather than feminine patience； women who had sent their
loved ones to hopeless adventure or terrible vendetta as a matter
of course； or with partisan fury； who had devotedly nursed the
wounded to keep alive the feud； or had received back their dead
dry…eyed and revengeful。 Small wonder that Cressy McKinstry had
developed strangely under this sexless relationship。 Looking at
the mother； albeit not without a certain respect； Mr。 Ford found
himself contrasting her with the daughter's graceful femininity；
and wondering where in Cressy's youthful contour the possibility of
the grim figure before him was even now hidden。
〃Hiram allowed to go over to the schoolhouse and see you this
mornin'；〃 said Mrs。 McKinstry； after a pause； 〃but I reckon ez how
he had to look up stock on the river。 The cattle are that wild
this time o' year； huntin' water； and hangin' round the tules； that
my men are nigh worrited out o' their butes with 'em。 Hank and Jim
ain't been off their mustangs since sun up； and Hiram； what with
partrollen' the West Boundary all night； watchin' stakes whar them
low down Harrisons hev been trespassin'hasn't put his feet to the
ground in fourteen hours。 Mebbee you noticed Hiram ez you kem
along？ Ef so； ye didn't remember what kind o' shootin' irons he
had with him？ I see his rifle over yon。 Like ez not he'z only got
his six…shooter； and them Harrisons are mean enough to lay for him
at long range。 But；〃 she added； returning to the less important
topic； 〃I s'pose Cressy came all right。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the master hopelessly。
〃I reckon she looked so；〃 continued Mrs。 McKinstry； with tolerant
abstraction。 〃She allowed to do herself credit in one of them new
store gownds that she got at Sacramento。 At least that's what some
of our men said。 Late years； I ain't kept tech with the fashions
myself。〃 She passed her fingers explanatorily down the folds of
her own coarse gown； but without regret or apology。
〃She seemed well prepared in her lessons；〃 said the master；
abandoning for the moment that criticism of his pupil's dress；
which he saw was utterly futile； 〃but am I to understand that she
is coming regularly to schoolthat she is now perfectly free to
give her entire attention to her studiesthatthather
engagement is broken off？〃
〃Why； didn't she tell ye？〃 echoed Mrs。 McKinstry in languid
surprise。
〃SHE certainly did；〃 said the master with slight embarrassment；
〃but〃
〃Ef SHE said so；〃 interrupted Mrs。 McKinstry abstractedly； 〃she
oughter know； and you kin tie to what she says。〃
〃But as I'm responsible to PARENTS and not to scholars for the
discipline of my school；〃 returned the young man a little stiffly；
〃I thought it my duty to hear it from YOU。〃
〃That's so；〃 said Mrs。 McKinstry meditatively； 〃then I reckon you'd
better see Hiram。 That ar' Seth Davis engagement was a matter of
hern and her father's； and not in MY line。 I 'spose that Hiram
nat'rally allows to set the thing square to you and inquirin'
friends。〃
〃I hope you understand；〃 said the master； slightly resenting the
classification； 〃that my reason for inquiring about the permanency
of your daughter's attendance was simply because it might be
necessary to arrange her studies in a way more suitable to her
years； perhaps even to suggest to you that a young ladies' seminary
might be more satisfactory〃
〃Sartain； sartain；〃 interrupted Mrs。 McKinstry hurriedly； but
whether from evasion of annoying suggestion or weariness of the
topic； the master could not determine。 〃You'd better speak to
Hiram about it。 On'y；〃 she hesitated slightly； 〃ez he's got now
sorter set and pinted towards your school； and is a trifle worrited
with stock and them Harrisons； ye might tech it lightly。 He
oughter be along yer now。 I can't think what keeps him。〃 Her eye
wandered again with troubled preoccupation to the corner where her
husband's Sharps' rifle stood。 Suddenly she raised her voice as if
forgetful of Mr。 Ford's presence。
〃O Cressy！〃
〃O Maw！〃
The response came from the inner room。 The next moment Cressy
appeared at the door with an odd half…lazy defiance in her manner；
which the master could not understand except upon the hypothesis
that she had been listening。 She had already changed her elaborate
toilet for a long clinging； coarse blue gown； that accented the
graceful curves of her slight； petticoat…less figure。 Nodding her
head towards the master； she said； 〃Howdy？〃 and turned to her
mother； who practically ignored their personal acquaintance。
〃Cressy；〃 she said； 〃Dad's gone and left his Sharps' yer； d'ye mind
takin' it along to mee